Calling all the Pregnant PS''ers

[puffy]

curly, LOL!!!

geri, you look wonderful for 24 weeks!!!

icekid, you look great!

cat, don't worry too much about the weight. i'm sure you look great and your body is going to do what it needs to do for baby.

ok ladies, have a wonderful sunday!! so gloomy over here today.

 

[CatLuver]

Lynnie, they did say everything was normal at my 20wk scan, so hopefully it is. It’s funny about what I like to call “fat face syndrome” – I told DH to tell me if I get it! I know he will As for Tday, I don’t have the abilities required to prepare a complete dinner anyway, but I am looking forward to it!

Geri, you have such a cute little belly! Mine is definitely huger as you will see…

Thanks puffy.

Ok, since Sunday is my week marker, here are some shots.

First: for comparison, just 2 wks ago at 20 wks...

Next, the collage at 22 wks – to explain, I usually keep my stomach tightened just a bit because I actually find it uncomfortable to let it all hang out – like my muscles are getting stretched and pushed out and my organs and baby are so heavy and going to fall out. So the left picture is what I usually am like when I stand up and walk around. The right 2 pics are when I relax everything which doesn’t feel comfy to me, but shows how big I really am!!! The difference is crazy, right? When I suck in a bit everything looks bulkier and sits higher, when I relax it gets pretty low. There is definitely no hiding it anymore.

 

[geri]

Catluver - you look great! You've definitely popped but that's a very cute preggie belly!

 

[Tuckins1]

Al these baby bumps are so cute!!! I'm not showing yet, just getting regular old fat. (gotta continuously snack due to morning sickness and am too EXHAUSTED to work out every day)

 

[somethingshiny]

OMG. I can't wait for the new babies!! You are all so cute!

btw~ Lemon drops work just as well as Preggie Pops and taste a whole lot better!!

 

[Lanie]

Icekid -- I loved reading about your shower (I know this was awhile back) bc my first one is this weekend and I'm so excited! Did you get anything you didn't want/can't use?

Laila -- I'm going to guess BOY, but bc I want more boys around here! I think there's no truth whatsoever to the whole belly placement thing. Everyone and their cousin asks me if I'm carrying a girl, and I'm not! P.S. I'm glad you started the swaddling thread...that has been helpful to me!

Lynnie -- how do you know if they are hiccups or just regular movements? I don't know if mine has them or not...sometimes there's a funny twitch/jump but I don't know!

Bliss -- where are you?!? Hope all is well in Bliss land.

I'm loving all of the new bellies!!! Everyone looks great! Here's my contribution since I'm 31 weeks! I can't believe I made it this far. I remember back when I was barely pregnant and trying not to get too excited, afraid I would miscarry. Now there's a whole new set of worries (will I be able to endure labor? what if my water breaks in front of my class? what if I'm one of those women who go to the hospital thinking they are in labor, then they laugh at me bc I'm nowhere near?)

Oh! And I think we have narrowed down to a name finally! We have both agreed on Anderson. I will be speaking in Spanish to the kid, so Anderson doesn't really work that well in Spanish, but it will work. Hopefully.

Hope all of the preggos are having a good day!!!

 

[noelwr]

Catluver - wow, now I know what I'd look like if I was tall and thin. you're one of those ladies that when people see you from behind they have no idea you are preggers til you turn around.

geri - aw, look at that little hard bump. another tall and thin lady. so jealous. you ladies are going to have no problem getting your figures back.

Lynnie - we don't do Thanksgiving, but I have been wondering if we should bother putting up the Christmas tree this year or not... by the time it has to come down and be packed away, DD will have been born and it will probably not be something I feel like doing.

icekid - that's quite a different belly from before, no? I remember you looking quite small for a long time. I think my belly is shaped similar to yours. and yay for seeing a face to the body!

Deelight - yah, that does sound strange to me to not be weighed each visit.

Laila - we are definitely no longer belly twins. mine is elongated and looks more like icekid's. I think you should enter your belly in the Guinness Book of World Records for defying gravity. I'm saying boy with that torpedo belly of yours. my belly button is also still halfway between innie and outie.

Lanie - oh my, you make me look like I'm carrying twins! I worry too about labor because of all the birth classes I've started recently. I'm glad I'm learning the breathing and visualization techniques because it helps make a minute of a contraction not seem like an eternity. I don't care who laughs at me, as soon as I feel a twinge of anything that I think is labor, I'm heading to the hospital. I think the water breaks usually when you get up from lying or sitting, and most babies are born at night so chances are you won't be in front of a class. are you working until you go into labor? have you a got a cute Spanish nickname? Andelito?

 

[Loves Vintage]

Lanie, Just wanted to pop in to say that I LOVE the name Anderson!!! It's one of the names DH and I discussed before we knew we were having a girl. Glad you guys reached agreement! You look awesome too. Yay for 31 weeks!!! Look how far we've come!

Nothing new to report here. Well into my 28th week!

How are all the other prego ladies doing?

 

[random_thought]

Does anyone know of a good way to relive a sore throat from dry heaving other than gargling salt water or hard candy? Both of those make me feel like throwing up all over again

 

[Deelight]

Cat Your not weird - I feel the same way I have people openly in the street staring at my belly and I feel like saying to them "No I have not eaten too many cheeseburgers - yes I am preggo". I also had a really nasty stare from an older women who looked at my bubble tea and then my belly - I resisted the urge to say - Yes I CAN drink tea - NO it won't harm the baby now begone with you oh judgmental one.

As for weight gain - what I tell myself as long as it is in the belly and not elsewhere then it is okay - at least that makes me feel better - your belly pic looks cute

Tuckins1 You will pop before you know it - almost feels like one day you wake up and the belly just won't go away

Lanie Firstly that is such a cute dress - I WANT it looks so comfy and chic at the same time congrats on the 31wk mark

Love the name Anderson - it sounds like such a strong name

icekid cute belly shot I am jealous of all the PS'ers with the cute round bellies I am still waiting for mine to round out nicely


Geri that is good to hear I thought it might be strange but maybe it is normal here - and thanks for the compliment .

Your belly is so cute your looking great

_________________________________________________________________________

So nothing much new here to report - I got my higher level approved - it is technically a promotion - doing the same job but I get paid more and now approve things as well so that was exciting

So as I type this the LO is moving around - as of Sunday last week I felt a little bump in the side of my belly occasionally - funny thing is if I rub/jiggle it - it disappears I made hubby try it and he thought it was hilarious - not sure if it is the baby but it is about the size of a finger knuckle

Weird question has anyone had there legs grow while being pregnant - I swear my legs have lengthened I can no longer comfortably sit in a bus seat with my legs straight in front of me and stocking which always fit now don't but only in the legs they are too short by about an inch - inch and a half, the stocking are not to small cause they still come up ultra high like they used it but it is just the legs like I can't pull them long enough -and I buy a size bigger then I am

I tried googling but nothing -maybe I am nuts LOL which is entirely possible really.


P.S Preggie brain is driving me nuts I can't remember anything anymore

Hope you are all well

ETA RT No idea but ginger beer can stop the heaving feeling

 

[Loves Vintage]

Deelight - Congratulations on your promotion!!! As to your lengthening legs, sorry, I have no experience there. Mine are still the same length!

RT - You might call your DR if you are having a very hard time with the MS. They may want to prescribe something.

*******
Still 28 weeks here. Haha. And, still nothing new to report.

 

[noelwr]

had my appointment today with the male midwife. he was very nice. he had trouble feeling for the baby because he said I have hard and tight abs (definitely scored points with that), but eventually he found her and she has her head far down in the pelvis. funny enough, she doesn't kick me in the ribs, but more likes to bounce her head up and down on my bladder. I told him all about my itchiness and my yeast infection, and he said, "Oh, it's horrible to be itchy." not that he knows what it feels like to be itchy around your vagina...
do any of you ladies in the 3rd trimester feel like your baby is moving around less? apparently they do because they run out of room, but I have to say mine is still quite active. I'm not sure she ever sleeps.

as for labor, whenever I think about it I get sad. I mean I don't think it's sad at all, I guess mostly scary, but maybe I know it's going to be emotional. I really hope they're going to give me an epidural because they keep saying to come up with a Plan B in case you don't get your Plan A. why can't I just have my Plan A???

Deelight - what is bubble tea?

 

[Loves Vintage]

Noel, That's confusing about the Plan B. Do they suggest what Plan B should be? Are they saying that there's a chance you would not get an epidural if you want one???

 

[fieryred33143]

Noel-I think what he meant is that with labor, you should really have multiple plans. Actually, you should be somewhat prepared for all kinds of birthing options. If for whatever reason the epi fails (which happens a lot), you should know some techniques to try to help ease the pain. That sort of thing.

 

[Lanie]

Noel-I think what he meant is that with labor, you should really have multiple plans. Actually, you should be somewhat prepared for all kinds of birthing options. If for whatever reason the epi fails (which happens a lot), you should know some techniques to try to help ease the pain. That sort of thing.

This happens frequently?!?!? Oh man. Maybe I should look into breathing techniques or something just to be on the safe side?

 

[icekid]

Noel-I think what he meant is that with labor, you should really have multiple plans. Actually, you should be somewhat prepared for all kinds of birthing options. If for whatever reason the epi fails (which happens a lot), you should know some techniques to try to help ease the pain. That sort of thing.

Lanie- I would not say labor epidurals fail frequently, at all (and I place them for a living hehe.) Some populations can make them much more difficult to place, for sure. But I'm guessing you don't have severe scoliosis and I know you're not obese Sometimes the bigger problem is unrealistic expectations for an epidural- you're still in labor and still likely to have pain/pressure, especially at the end. I make sure all of my patients realize that an epidural is not intended to make labor pain-free, but being that they are in labor, who knows how many of them really process that well.

 

[fieryred33143]

Noel-I think what he meant is that with labor, you should really have multiple plans. Actually, you should be somewhat prepared for all kinds of birthing options. If for whatever reason the epi fails (which happens a lot), you should know some techniques to try to help ease the pain. That sort of thing.

This happens frequently?!?!? Oh man. Maybe I should look into breathing techniques or something just to be on the safe side?

My views are skewed because I post on a large mommy board and am hearing stories of failed epis all the time. Mine didn't work and I needed a second one. I've read a bunch of birth stories where it didn't work at all for the momma. So it's just good to have a plan in place.

 

[Dreamer_D]

Perhaps Noel needs a plan B because epis are not standard offer in the Netherlands?

 

[drk]

Or maybe she'll give birth in a smaller hospital where there might not be an anesthesiologist immediately available to come do one?

I also do them for a living, and I'd say the epidural needs to be repeated less than 5% of the time. Of course, mine didn't work properly as I was only numb on one side for the better part of an hour while they fiddled with it and kept adding more meds... Even having half of my body pain-free was a blessing.

 

[Puppmom]

My epi didn't work. I didn't have an epidural with DD and was terrified of it to be honest. I did a lot of research and talked to our childbirth educator and became *open* to it but still wanted to try without. The nurses asked me several times if I wanted it because I was progressing really quickly. I had a few nasty contractions and caved thinking it could be hours more of that. I got the epi and immediately felt like I needed to push. I was 10 cm dilated and the epi did absolutely nothing. In hindsight, it probably wasn't necessary anyway since everything went so quickly. I heard that the epi isn't effective if you're fully dilated but then I was told that's not true so who knows. Drk/Icekid, is that true?

 

[taovandel]

My epi worked too well and I hated it--couldn't move at all and couldn't feel ANYTHING....not sure what to do with this pregnancy.....

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Hello to all the yummy mummys to be! Everyone is looking radiant and i love the belly pics!

I have a question to ask on behalf of my pilates instructor...

Does anyone know of any natural remedies for reflux? She has been suffering from this of late and is drinking milk by the gallon to relieve the pain but asked me if there was anything else she could use?

I don't remember having reflux (it was such a long time ago!) so I thought i would see if any of the ladies here had some suggestions?

TIA!

 

[noelwr]

31w6d

I was hoping Plan B was more for women who want to do it naturally, but then realize at the time that it's too painful and they do want drugs, that they are informed which drugs they want. the hospital I am going to has epidural available 24-7, so hopefully it won't be a problem, but apparently it depends on who is checking up on you/when, etc. I also read that in only 5% of cases does epidural not work.

have you ladies decided what you are going to wear during labor? no, I don't mean your prettiest dress and make-up. I can't decide if I should take a big, long t-shirt, or if that is just going to get irritating if it's soaking with sweat, and better to take a tighter fitting shirt that doesn't hang all the way down? any suggestions? I hear some women just pull their shirts off, but if you're not comfortable naked in front of other people, then you will most likely not do this.

here's my belly (clothed and naked), one day short of 32 weeks.

 

[curlygirl]

noel, I recommend wearing the hospital gown for labor and delivery. It's lightweight and you don't have to worry about your nice clothes getting ruined. And for the record, I had epidurals with both of my deliveries and LOVED it! It was always my Plan A to have one so my Plan B would have been to knock me out completely!

 

[random_thought]

Noel, what if you had a tank top under your t shirt (so you don't get cold on the way to the hospital) and then you can whip it off once you're there! I think this is what I'll be doing

AFM: All the gender prediction things online (chinese calendar, vein in left or right eye, etc) have predicted that I'm having a little boy It will be interesting to find out if that ends up being true!

 

[fieryred33143]

I also recommend the (or a) hospital gown. It's lightweight as curly mentioned and you don't want to ruin your clothes (or worry about laundry). Plus, it's easier to do the skin to skin with something that can move around easily and gives quicker access to the breasts if you are planning on breastfeeding right away. But I also stayed on in the hospital gown the entire time

 

[taovandel]

Noel: At my hospital we weren't even allowed an option. We had to wear nothing but the hospital gown--with no undergarments on at all.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Ditto the PP, wear the hospital gown, the last thing you're going to want to be thinking about when you're there is your clothes. I changed into my clothes the morning after I had Aidan.

I had a spinal with my c/s, which is somewhat similar to an epi. It was fantastic. I was scared to death of it and during the insertion, but I felt zero pain during and after. When people say the local anesthetic is the most painful part, they're serious.

 

[AllieLuv83]

Hospital gown all the way. You are so bloody, and it is so hard to move around that the last thing you want is to wear clothing that you might ruin.

 

[Lynnie]

Catluver - Wow, you have definitely popped! You look great!!

Lanie - Lookin good, mamma!! Re: hiccups. It's almost like a soft kick, but it's rhythmic, kinda like a heartbeat. I think what you actually feel is the baby's back, or head, knocking up against your uterine wall. And it lasts for a good minute, at least, and maybe up to 3 or 4 minutes (at least for me). Oh, and when it happens, I can press on the spot, and it's like feeling a pulse... thud, thud, thud. I dunno... that's the best I can explain it! Anderson is a really nice name, too! I love it!

Deelight - Isn't movement awesome?! It really amazes me how much stronger the baby gets as it grows! Re: growing legs. I haven't noticed, but maybe your posture's changed? Like, maybe you're not actually sitting the same way you did before, and just not noticing it? That could explain it. Or, they say your hips expand (I did have some hip pain around the end of the first tri). Maybe that has something to do with it?

Noel - Look at that belly!!! I love it!!! hehe - your legs are so tiny now! You look amazing - NOT huge, just beautifully pregnant!! I figured I'd just wear the hospital gown for delivery. I'm not really that modest when it comes to that stuff - I think working at a hospital has definitely muted whatever modesty I had to begin with. Naked bodies really are a dime a dozen to us.

Is it terrible that my plan is to play it by ear? Roll with the punches? It's how I deal with everything in life... I figure I'll see how bad the pain is before I decide to have an epi. I *think* I have a pretty decent tolerance for pain, but we'll see...

I'll post a belly pic soon! Camera's charging now!